Macedonia: Protests grow after president pardoned statesmen

Protestors scuffle with the police in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Several hundred people protested late Tuesday outside the offices of the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party and in front of President Ivanov office in downtown Skopje, throwing eggs and demanding his resignation. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has announced earlier Tuesday he is granting a presidential pardon terminating all criminal proceedings against politicians from both the ruling parties and the opposition. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
(The Associated Press)

Protestors confront the police in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Several hundred people protested late Tuesday outside the offices of the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party and in front of President Ivanov office in downtown Skopje, throwing eggs and demanding his resignation. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has announced earlier Tuesday he is granting a presidential pardon terminating all criminal proceedings against politicians from both the ruling parties and the opposition. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
(The Associated Press)

Protestors scuffle with the police in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Several hundred people protested late Tuesday outside the offices of the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party and in front of President Ivanov office in downtown Skopje, throwing eggs and demanding his resignation. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has announced earlier Tuesday he is granting a presidential pardon terminating all criminal proceedings against politicians from both the ruling parties and the opposition. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
(The Associated Press)

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Protests are growing in Macedonia after the country's president issued a pardon terminating all criminal proceedings against conservative former prime minister Nikola Gruevski, his security chief, and several members of his cabinet.

Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in the capital Skopje for a second day Wednesday to demand the resignation of President Gjorge Ivanov.

Ivanov issued pardons for 56 people from both the ruling parties and the opposition Tuesday, citing the need for national reconciliation. The country's official gazette on Wednesday said mayors, businessmen and judges were among those pardoned, as well as opposition leader Zoran Zaev.

The pardons were issued ahead of early elections on June 5, called after months of political crisis triggered by wiretapping and corruption scandals.

Zaev has angrily criticized the pardons, demanding the president's resignation.